Integrated coping assemblies



Nov. 11, 1969 c. WOOD, JR

INTEGRATED COPING ASSEMBLIES Filed Feb. 9. 196 7 INVENTOR. Can/e1. as L. W000, J2.

HTT'OEA/EY.

United States Patent 3,477,190 INTEGRATED COPING ASSEMBLIES Charles L. Wood, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 614,906 Int. Cl. E04f 19/02; E0411 13/15 US. Cl. 52-718 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A coping structure assembly including an anchoring base with upstanding ribs and an overlying coping member with depending flanges resiliently interlocking with the ribs may be used as terminating edges of roofs or walls, providing finishing trim over the joint between intersecting surfaces. Such a coping structure may be used around the perimeter of a swimming pool.

This invention relates in general to novel and improved coping structures, and is more specifically concerned with a coping construction or assembly comprising an anchoring base member or section, preferably of indeterminate length as initially fabricated, in integrated resiliently responding snap-assembly with an exteriorly exposed overlying coping section or member, also preferably of indeterminate length as fabricated.

Coping structures or assemblies within the scope of the invention are particularly useful in terminating marginal edges of permanent structures, such as upper edge roof lines and parapet walls of buildings, and similar permanent structures requiring architectural and/or utilitarian installation of a concealing coping structure over underlying joints, as well as providing finishing trim adjacent the juncture between adjacently angularly disposed surface areas.

By way of example, but not in limitation of the extent of environmental use of coping assemblies within the scope of the invention, a coping structure as described hereinafter may be used around the perimeter or upper edge line of intersection or demarcation of a retaining wall with the laterally extending deck or walkway of a swimming pool. It is in this general representative environment that the invention is hereinafter specifically described.

An object according to the invention is to provide an integrated coping assembly comprising readily and accurately reproducible, in-plant fabricated members or sections capable of substitution for sectionalized, laid-up precast or in situ poured concrete, individually set stone blocks, porcelain tiles, or similar sectionalized coping.

Another object is to provide coping assemblies comprising an extruded anchoring base member or section, of uniform transverse configuration, in indeterminate axial length, and an extruded coping member or section of uniform transverse configuration, in indeterminate axial length, which sections may be resiliently and interlockingly snap-assembled to provide an integrated secure assembly thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated and understood from consideration of the following description and illustrations, in which:

FIG. 1 is a reduced scale fragmentary top plan view of the exposed area of a deck or walkway of a swimming pool having a coping assembly of the invention installed adjacent the upper marginal edge thereof;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, to enlarged scale, taken on the plane 22 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are end elevational Views, respectively, of the anchor and coping sections incorporated in FIGS.

1 and 2;

3,477,190 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 FIG. 5 is an end elevational view depicting initial over and under disposition of the coping and anchor sections incorporated in FIGS. 1 and 2 prior to integrated snapassembly thereof; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view depicting initial over and under disposition of modified forms of anchor and coping sections prior to snap-assembly thereof.

Basic elements and structural features thereof, essential to the practice of the invention, include the provision of (a) an elongate section of suitable transverse configuration serving as anchor or anchoring member and (b) an elongate section of suitable transverse configuration serving as cope or coping member, said two named sections or members being each configurated in cross-section to provide interengaging resilient interlocking assembly and securement thereof in response to externally applied relative pressure therebetween, from an initial overlying disposition of the two sections, to provide integrated snap-locked assembly thereof.

More particularly, and on reference to the illustrations, FIG. 1 represents a corner area, in top plan view, of a depressed pool or tank 10 having a deck or walkway 12 bordering the same and incorporating a marginal edge coping assembly or structure 14 installed adjacent the marginal inner edge formed by the intersection of walkway 12 and the lateral supporting or retaining wall of the depressed pool 10.

It will be observed to best advantage from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 that the coping assembly 14 comprises an anchor base member or section 16 and a coping section 18, each of which is preferably selected in the form of an extruded section of indeterminate axial length and distinctive uniform transverse configuration along the length thereof.

For example, the anchor section 16 (FIG. 3) is configurated or shaped in uniform transverse cross-section to provide a flat web or mounting base or flange 20 which has an upper surface and a lower surface integrally supporting a foreshortened upstanding inwardly inclined outer marginal edge rib 22 extending upwardly from the upper surface. The rib 22 is inwardly recessed to provide an outwardly open, axially extending, substantially semicircular groove 24 in lower edge blending connection with the upper surface of base 20.

A second upstanding rib 26, of substantial greater height than rib 22, is also integrally supported and carried by the base 20 at a location inwardly spaced from the foreshortened inclined marginal edge rib 22. The rib 26 is preferably substantially normal to the base 20, ter minates at its free elevated end above the rib 22 in an angularly upwardly inclined surface 29, and is provided with an inwardly directed, rounded protruding configuration or rib section 28, the upstanding overall height of the rib 26 being preferably at least twice that of the most elevated extension of rib 22.

The described embodiment of anchor section 16 has also been configuratetd to provide a further inwardly spaced rib 30, foreshortened in height and substantially parallel to the inwardly facing surface of rib 26 to form a upwardly open channel therebetween. Rib 30 is provided with an inclined pilot surface 3-2 at the entrance to the open channel formed thereby. The anchor base 20, as shown, is further extended and terminates in an upturned marginal edge 34 remote from the marginal edge rib 22.

Reference is made to FIG. 4 for a description of coping section 18. Therein it will be observed that the coping section is configurated in uniform transverse crosssection to provide an outwardly exposed enclosing wall 36 terminating in a downwardly depending inner marginal edge flange 38 substantially normal to the horizontal, having an inwardly projecting or protruding rounded configuration or rib 40 substantially conforming to the inwardly projecting cross-sectional configuration of the groove or recess 24 of anchor section 16. A second downwardly depending flange 42 inwardly spaced from flange 38 is carried by the undersurface of the wall 36 and is preferably directionally inclined downwardly and inwardly. It is configurated in its integral connection to the inner surface of wall 36 to provide an axially extending, outwardly open, inwardly directed rounded recess or groove 44 in substantial tangential blended surface connection to the adjacent underside or inner surface of wall 36.

The specific embodiment of coping section 18 selected for purposes of illustration in FIG. 4 has also been configurated to provide a contiguous extension 46 of wall 36,

extending inwardly, then downwardly and then reversely outwardly, and is preferably terminated in a downwardly depending marginal edge flange 48.

FIG. 5 illustrates over and under initial disposition of the coping section 18 and anchor section 16 prior to external application of relative pressure therebetween to develop resilient deflection and the interlocking integrated assembly thereof shown in FIG. 2. In the form shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, in the assembled structure, the coping section 18 will be substantially completely supported by the anchoring base member 16 and the inner marginal edge 40 of downwardly depending flange 38 is disposed in spaced overlying relationship with respect to the lower surface of anchoring base member 16. It will be observed that the depending marginal flange 48 of the coping section is in contact with the inner surface of the upstanding second rib 26 which faces the flange 48, the terminal lower end of depending flange 38 of the coping section being in a slightly elevated position above the upper end of the inwardly inclined marginal edge rib 22 of the anchor section, the downwardly depending underside of flange 42 of the coping section being disposed above the upper end of the inwardly spaced upstanding second rib 26. In this initial position, it will also be observed that downward approach of the coping section 18 toward anchor section 16 results in sliding engagement of the inwardly directed terminal thickened rib 40 against the outwardly facing flat inclined surface of the upstanding inwardly inclined outer marginal edge rib 22, and similar sliding engagement between the terminal rib 28 and the outer surface of the downwardly and inwardly depending inclined flange 42 overlying the same.

The above-described location, arrangement and configuration of the upstanding ribs 22 and 26 of the anchor section 16, as well as the downwardly depending flanges 38 and 42 of the overlying coping section 18, permit the same coactingly to react in response to externally applied relative pressure between the coping and anchor sections to resiliently wedge or angularly separate the lower terminal ends of the depending flanges 38 and 42, carried by the coping section 18, with substantially simultaneous resiliently opposite angular deflection of the upstanding ribs 22 and 26 which are in underlying disposition between the flanges, until the thickened rib 40 of the coping section and thickened rib 28 of the anchor section snap into the respective laterally open recesses or grooves 24 and 44, respectively, to thereby provide an interference fit therewith and an integrated and secured snap-assembly of the coping and anchor sections.

From FIG. 2, it Will be observed that the coping section depending flange 48 has entered and is received within the upwardly open channel between the upstanding ribs 26 and 30 carried by the anchor section 16, the inclined pilot surface 32 aiding in this respect. The snapassembly of the coping section 18 with its underlying anchor section 16 would follow permanent installation of the anchor section 16, as by means of linearly spaced lag bolts 50 (FIG. 2), and the greater height of the inwardly spaced upstanding anchor section rib 26 permits greater angular movement of its terminal end thickened rib 28, as compared to the foreshortened rib 22, to thereby impart a greater degree of resilient flexibility in obtaining snap-assembly of coping structure 14. Also, inclined upper edge 29 of the upstanding rib 26, in resilient interlocked upper end assembly within the groove 44 (FIG. 2), acts as a compressive strut against the conforming underside or inner surface of the coping wall, and the lower end of the depending flange 48 of the coping section laterally confined within the channel formed between the upstanding anchor base ribs 26 and 30.

It is to be observed from FIG. 2 that the assembled or integrated and installed coping structure 14 has a reversely directed contiguous extension 52 of the coping section wall in overlying spaced relationship to the underlying extension of the anchor section 16 to form an inwardly open channel therewith. This channel can be utilized to receive and clampingly secure a marginal edge of a compressible facing 54, which may be synthetic plastic in a swimming pool, or roofing felt in the case of a roof or parapet wall coping assembly installation. The extreme inner edge terminal upstanding flange or rib 34 of anchor section 16 provides a shoulder that will aid in retaining the facing bead 54.

FIG. 6 discloses a modified form of the coping structure 14 above described and differs therefrom in the elimination of the third point of support for the coping section within the channel formed between the upstanding ribs 26 and 30 of anchor section 16. In FIG. 6, the modified anchor section is configurated in transverse profile to provide a substantially flat mounting flange or base 56 in integral support of an outer edge upstanding inwardly inclined foreshortened rib 58 and an inwardly spaced substantially normally disposed upstanding preferably longer rib 60 which can be located along and define the opposite inner marginal edge of the mounting flange 56. The lower juncture of the rib 58 with the base flange 56 is configurated to provide the laterally open recess or groove 62, similar in configuration to the groove 24 (FIG. 3), and the upper end of the rib 60 is terminated in a protruding rib 64, similar in configuration to the rib 28 (FIG. 3).

The modified coping section in FIG. 6 is configurated in transverse profile to provide an outwardly exposed enclosing wall 66 having an integral downwardly depending marginal edge flange 68 terminated in the inwardly directed rib 70 substantially conforming to the recess or groove 62, as well as to provide a second downwardly depending angularly disposed flange 72 and laterally open recess or groove 74 at its juncture with the inner surface of the enclosing wall 66, similar respectively in configuration to flange 42 and recess 44 (FIG. 4). The coping wall 66 in FIG. 6 is also preferably extended contiguously inwardly, downwardly beyond the depending flange 72, and thence reversely outwardly therefrom, and can be terminated in an upwardly directed marginal edge flange 76 for hearing contact against a facing surface of the anchor base rib 60.

Where the coping assemblies are employed in swimming pool installations, as above described and illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which case the coping assemblies can serve as a hand rail therefor, it may be desirable to provide axially extending spaced ribs 78 on the exposed outwardly directed surface of the coping section.

Extrusion is a preferred practice for in-plant commercial fabrication of accurately duplicatable, relatively inexpensive production of the anchor and coping sections for use as hereinabove described and illustrated. Choice of materials therefor would include conventional relatively hard commercially available synthetic resinous plastics and metals, including aluminum and its alloys, characterized by their resilience and freedom from breakage or permanent deformation in an integrated snapassembly of the coping and anchor sections of the invention.

It will be observed that the downwardly turned depending flange 48 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) of the coping section 18, as well as the upwardly turned flange 76 of the coping section in FIG. 6, are in bearing contact against the facing surface of each of the upstanding ribs 26 and 60, respectively, of theanchor sections, so as to provide a restraint against unintended separation of the interlocking interengagement of the hereinabove described integrated coping assemblies.

Having described representative coping assemblies illustrative of the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A coping structure assembly including an anchoring base member for mounting the assembly and a coping member for integrated securement thereto,

(a) said anchoring base member being an elongate section transversely configurated to provide a mounting base with upstanding ribs, a first of said ribs being located adjacent an outer marginal edge of the mounting base, an outwardly open inwardly directed recess on the outwardly directed surface of said first rib, a second of said ribs being inwardly spaced from said first rib and terminating at its free end above said first rib in a protruding configuration extending in the same direction as the recess of said first rib;

(b) said coping member being an elongate section transversely configurated to provide an outwardly exposed enclosing wall terminating in a downardly depending inner marginal edge flange having an inwardly protruding configuration substantially conforming to the recess of the first rib of the anchoring base member, and a second downwardly depending flange inwardly spaced from said first flange and carried by an inner surface of the wall of the coping member, said second flange having an outwardly open inwardly directed recess therein;

(c) the location, arrangement and configuration of said upstanding ribs of the anchoring base member and said downwardly depending flanges of said overlying coping member being such that the upstanding first rib of the anchoring base member and the downwardly depending marginal edge flange of the coping member, coactingly with the respective sec- 0nd downwardly depending flange of the coping member and second upstanding rib of the anchoring base member, provide interlocking resilient snapassembly and securement of the coping member to the anchoring base member in response to externally applied relative pressure there-between, with the inwardly protruding configuration of the inner marginal edge flange of the coping member and the protruding configuration of the second rib of the anchoring base member respectively received within the outwardly open inwardly directed recess on the outwardly directed surface of the first rib of the anchoring base member and the outwardly open inwardly directed recess provided in the second flange of the coping member, and

(d) the Wall of the coping member section is extended inwardly, downwardly, and then reversely outwardly toward the second upstanding rib of the anchoring member and into abutment thereagainst.

2. A coping structure assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which (a) the anchoring base and coping members are each one-piece extruded metal sections,

(b) the second upstanding rib of the anchoring base member is at least twice the height of the marginal edge upstanding rib thereof, and

(c) the reversely outwardly disposed portion of the coping member section is disposed not lower than the lower surface of the anchoring base member and terminates in an upwardly directed flange which abuts the second upstanding rib.

3. A coping structure assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the marginal edge upstanding rib is inclined inwardly towards the second upstanding rib of the anchoring base member, and the second upstanding rib thereof is substantially normal to the mounting base.

4. A coping structure in accordance with claim 3 in which the marginal edge flange of the coping member is substantially normal to the horizontal and the second downwardly depending flange thereof is angularly inwardly inclined away therefrom.

5. The coping assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the protruding configurations carried respectively by the second upstanding rib of the anchoring base member and the downwardly depending inner marginal edge flange of the coping member are each rounded in transverse cross-section, and in which the two outwardly open recesses respectively receptive of said two protruding configurations substantially conform thereto.

6. A coping structure assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein (a) the reversely outwardly disposed portion of the coping member section terminates in a third downwardly directed flange which abuts the second upstanding rib,

(b) the anchoring base member has a third upstanding rib spaced inwardly from said second rib cooperating with second upstanding rib to define an upwardly open channel, and

(c) the third downwardly directed flange extending into the upwardly open channel.

7. A coping structure assembly in accordance with claim 6 wherein (a) an inner portion of the anchoring base member extends inwardly beyond said third upstanding rib,

(b) a fourth upstanding rib disposed adjacent the innermost edge of the anchoring base member, and

(c) a channel, adapted to receive, a compressible material is defined by the fourth upstanding rib, the inner portion of said anchoring base, the third upstanding rib, and and the reversely outwardly extending portion of the coping member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 

